The Long Road
by dreamsofyesterday1
Summary: Part 28 of the Robyn series. Robbie panics after Mordayne's warning and inadvertently sets out on a path that could bring it into fruition. The return of an old face brings mixed feelings to the town. Struggling with life with only one arm, Boris finds help from an unexpected source and Stingy finds himself the victim of a vendetta but who is behind it?
1. Chapter 1

The Long Road

Part 28 of the Robyn series

It had been three weeks. Three long weeks. To think that nothing had changed would be something of an error. In fact everything had changed. What should have been a happy return home had filled Robyn with uncertainty and anxiety. Were it not for the fact that she was reunited with her family, she was constantly under the overwhelming ministrations of Robbie. In the time that she had been back it seemed she had seldom had a moment to herself and the constant attention from Robbie was grating on her.

When she had woken in the hospital she had remembered little about her experience in the room, it had seemed faintly like a bad nightmare, a dream that she struggled to wake from. The coldness she had felt, the pain, all seemed like an illusion. Only when she had opened her eyes and seen the worried faces of her family and friends had she realised that what she had thought was an illusion had actually happened the pain hit her all over again. She had fallen into a coma, a dreamless empty coma so different from the one that she had experienced before, a complete contrast to the twisted confusing world she had found herself thrown into before. They had been waiting for her to wake up, for days they had been by her bedside, now she was awake she could feel the same fear she had felt before. She had felt their worry as acutely as she had felt their relief that she had woken up, but no one's worry had been as acute as Robbie's.

Even before she had woken up, she was sure that he had spent every waking moment beside her bed in the hospital, refusing to leave her and keeping watch for a threat that she didn't know existed. He had been a constant presence even when Langford demanded that he draw the map of the tunnels and refused to take no for an answer. It seemed the only time that she was free of him was when the nurses came to give her a wash or take her to the shower. More than once she had found herself asking the nurses to take a little bit longer to take her back to her room or to take her back via the windowed corridor that overlooked the hospital's Gardens, knowing that he was in her room and trying to avoid the smothering feeling his presence was beginning to generate within her. If not for the occasional visit from Sportacus or her grandfather interspersed with visits from those of her friends who had been able to get to the hospital, she was sure she would have suffocated.

Of all the faces she had seen since she had woken up there was one person that remained elusive. She had been faintly aware of his presence in the room that night but had not seen him since their argument. His words still hurt her and she could not wash the feelings they had generated within him from her memory. Worse still were the feelings that he had generated within her. Doctor Cole had told her that Boris had come to see him, asking him to allow him a chance to speak to her and try to make up for his actions. Sportacus had told her that Boris had been in the room that night and had helped him save her but she had not seen him since. As far as she was aware he hadn't been to see her.

At least while she had been awake.

After endless days trapped in a hospital bed in her room, under the watchful eye of the medical staff and Robbie a discharge date had finally been arranged and she remembered the days before her discharge being the longest she had experienced in her whole hospital stay. When the day of her discharge came she was happy for a time but it was a happiness she found short lived.

Being back home seemed to do little to calm down Robbie.

More often than not she would find herself ensconced in his prized orange chair, wrapped in his blanket. He catered to her every need and whim, giving her everything she wanted with one exception – space. Almost every night she would find herself awake staring at the ceiling and valuing the solitude that the darkness gave her. Sometimes he would sleep downstairs, stretched out on the sofa as she remained in his chair other times he would retreat to his old bedroom on the rare occasion that she was allowed back to hers. It seemed as though the only time she got away from him whether times that she accommodated to her personal hygiene, tasks that were often done with the assistance of her grandmother as she still lacked the strength to be fully independent.

Somehow it seemed as though today was different, it had started differently to how she had become used today starting. Robbie had woken her as usual with a drink and some fruit for breakfast coupled with the medication that she now had to take to control her seizures and manage the pain that still dogged her. Once he had ensured that she had taken all of the tablets he had returned to the kitchen leaving her alone when he would normally have remained with her to eat his breakfast and ask her what she would like to do for the day. Eating alone she could hear him clattering around me kitchen, she could hear the sloshing of water and the sound of the tap running as he rinsed the dishes and placed them on the draining board. She frowned as she remembered that he had washed up the night before and tried to work out why he would be washing up again.

Her answer came when she heard footsteps on the landing and looked up to see Kit coming down the stairs.


	2. Chapter 2

Kit paused as he realised she'd seen him, her blue eyes watching him. He stretched his lips out in a fleeting smile before continuing the rest of the way down the stairs. In an unusual twist of circumstance he found himself stunned silent. Crossing the floor towards the sofa he tried to find something to say to her in his mind, turning combinations of words over and over but not finding the ability to speak them. He noticed that she'd spotted the bag he'd thrown over his shoulder and traced its journey from his shoulder to the floor as he put it down before sitting on the sofa. He'd deliberately sat on the middle cushion, not sitting as close as he would have done in the past but also not sitting not too far from her. She made no sign that she wished him to come closer and so far her painfully expressive face had remained emotionless.

He continued trying to work out what to say; only managing to break the silence between them with a feeble, "Hi."

"Hi," Was the slightly stronger response.

"How are you? How are you doing?"

Straight to the point, Robyn replied, "You didn't come here for small talk."

"No, no I didn't." He wasn't fazed by her directness, "Doc Cole came to give Mayor Meanswell his check up, I hitched a ride to pick up some things that got left behind. I'm surprised you didn't pick me up until you saw me."

A faint smile tinged Robyn's lips as her long eyelashes sheltered her eyes, "I haven't sensed anyone for a while. I'm trying not to. I don't really want to know what's going on in Robbie's head at the moment."

Now Kit was taken aback, hearing Robyn say Robbie's name for only the second time since he'd met her. She didn't miss his look of surprise that shrunk into a concerned frown. Suddenly uncomfortable Kit wondered if this was simply an after affect of her brain injury, that she would return more to her normal self given time but he wondered just how much of her normal self still survived.

Fighting down his urge to push her for information about why she had suddenly started calling Robbie by his proper name instead of her affectionate 'daddy', he gave voice to another concern and the source of her coldness towards him. "You were there weren't you? After I lumped Boris in his hospital room, I came out and I saw you then it was like I blinked and you disappeared. I wasn't hallucinating was I?"

"You always have to fight someone. You always have to let your anger get the better of you. It got in the way of our relationship twice and now you've started attacking people in hospital. Where will it end Kit? When are you going to let it go?"

"But I was defending you!" Kit exclaimed, still keeping his voice level, "He had a go at you for no reason, he blamed you for something that wasn't your fault-"

"And I could have handled it myself!" Robyn snapped loudly before looking away from him.

Robbie's head quickly appeared round the side of the kitchen doorway, evidently alerted by the volume Robyn and Kit's discussion had reached and the danger that it could boil over. "Kit, maybe you should go now. I think you've said enough."

"Can I just have two more minutes," Kit asked, not wanting to leave things this way, "Please?"

It wasn't an easy decision for him to make, but Robbie agreed reluctantly, only reassured by Robyn's subtle nod giving him the indication she was alright to continue. "Ok, two minutes. Then you're out."

Buoyed by Robbie's agreement, Kit smiled a little wider and a little longer this time as Robbie conspicuously looked at the clock on the wall and noted the time before disappearing back into the kitchen. Throwing away his caution, Kit breached the gap between him and Robyn, sitting on the edge of the sofa nearest her and clasping one of her hands. She had yet to look at him but he took a small measure of hope from the fact that she hadn't made any motion to remove her hand from his and spoke anyway.

"I know I've pretty much destroyed any semblance of a chance that we'll ever get back together but I wanted you to know that I meant it when I said I still love you and you'll always have a place in my heart no matter what. I know that you're still mad at me about what I did to Boris and probably for breaking your heart too and it's a lot to ask but..." He paused as he prepared himself to take a leap of faith, "Can we try and be friends?"

He waited for as long as he could stand but no response was afforded to him, still she looked away from him and her hand remained limply in his. From his position on the sofa he couldn't see the silent deliberations running across her face, her eyes heavy with tears and the lips tight set against them. Crushed by her stillness he slowly drew his hand away as though pulling it away too quickly would shatter her into a thousand pieces and stood up. He moved to bend down and pick up his bag but stopped when he felt a hand grab his. Holding his breath he looked down at his hand, following the arm that the hand holding his was connected to with his eyes and slowly lifted them to meet Robyn's. He couldn't contain his happiness and for the first time his face broke out into his signature smile.

Shifting his hand in Robyn's he moved towards her, carefully kissing her on the temple and losing himself for the moment in the perfume of her hair. Noticing that his time was undoubtedly up and reaching the realisation that Doctor Cole would be all but done with the Mayor's check up, he forced himself to release Robyn's hand and leave her. Picking his bag up he gave her another smile before winking at her and heading out the door, waving at Robbie as he walked by the kitchen window and back towards the Doctor's car.

Bessie busied herself in the kitchen as she started to get everything she needed ready for a day of cake baking. In amongst the pauses of clattering baking trays and pulling open and closing drawers she could hear the muffled voices of the Doctor and the Mayor as Doctor Cole carried out his annual check up drifting from the lounge area. It was a good distraction for her to keep her mind off of snooping on them and eavesdropping but she found herself still curious about what was going on. Focussing herself on the task ahead she was determined not to let her busybody nature get the better of her.

"Well that all checks out." Doctor Cole confirmed as he finished making his notes, "You're in good health, Mr Mayor." Carefully estimating Bessie's distance away from them and the acuity of her hearing he added in a whisper with a pat of the Mayor's belly, "With the exception of Bessie's exuberant cooking and affinity for sweet treats."

Mayor Meanswell barely concealed the smile in his voice as he replied, "Ah yes, that's true!" Then at normal volume, "Thank you Doctor, it's good to know that I'm in good enough health to run for at least another year as Mayor."

"You are indeed but just remember that you're no spring chicken!" Doctor Cole warned light heartedly as he started packing his things away and placing the Mayor's paperwork in his briefcase, "Anyway, I'd better be off. I have a few more calls to do on the way back to Greentown then I'm due for a short shift at the hospital."

"Thank you very much Doctor, I appreciate you coming out for this."

Doctor Cole smiled as he stood up and followed the Mayor as he went to show him out, "It's no trouble, Mr Mayor." He turned as they passed through the kitchen and gave a wave and a quick, "Bye Bessie!" Before exiting the house.


	3. Chapter 3

"Well that was ok, wasn't it?" Robbie asked gently, stepping out from the kitchen.

"You arranged that didn't you?" Robyn's voice was uncharacteristically cold.

Struck by the barely concealed edge to Robyn's voice, Robbie tried to explain. "You've been so unhappy lately. I thought it might cheer you up. It did, didn't it?"

"Have you ever wondered why I've been so unhappy lately?" She fixed her eyes on him, her eyes almost impossibly colder than her tone.

This was a road Robbie had been down before. A path he'd found himself travelling often since Robyn had come home from the hospital. The first steps upon it caste even before she'd been discharged. When he recognised the signs he would do what was best for the both of them and distract her from her intention or simply remove himself from the situation by way of making a drink in the kitchen and allowing himself time to cool down before coming back to her. This time, however, he knew that walking away wasn't an option. He had to confront the problem.

"No." He answered simply, knowing that any of the reasons he suggested would be thrown out. It was easier like this.

"Well, then I'll tell you. It doesn't surprise me that you don't know. I shouldn't have expected you to."

Robbie braced himself against the sting Robyn's words caused him. Pushing the sick feeling rising in his stomach down. He knew what was coming.

"You're the reason I've been so unhappy lately. Ever since I woke up after my coma you just haven't been able to leave me alone, have you? You never go away, you're always there bugging me. You're always interfering, telling me what you think is best for me and not letting me make any decisions for myself. What is wrong with you? Why don't you just give me some space to breathe?"

He didn't know where it came from but the sick feeling he'd been trying to suppress transformed into a surge of vehemence intensified by the pain of her accusation, released with unabated force as he shouted, "The last time I gave you space to breathe you were out by the lake and ended up like this!"

Even before he'd finished saying it, he knew there was no way he could stop the crashing tsunami of pent up frustration spewing from his mouth and uttering that devastating final set of words. He faltered as he tried to take it back, tried to make it right but it was already too late. The damage had been done and the resulting backlash hit him harder than a car crash.

"It's because of you and your stupid tunnels that I'm like this! It's because for god only knows what reason you told my crazy bitch of a mother about them and she decided to use them! It's because you were too stupid to mention the small matter of them being all over town that no one expected her to come up out of the ground and cave my head in! You're the reason I'm like this! If you don't like it you should have stretched that mini micro brain cell of yours and told the Network guys when they took over here about the huge security issue that was right underneath their feet!"

For the damage she did to him by saying what she had she might as well have slapped him, punched him, kicked him where it hurt the most and stamped on him as he writhed on the ground in pain. He stood staring at her. Too shaken to even begin to say anything else. He recoiled as the enormity of the truth she had unleashed towards him struck him like bomb blasts and he ran from her. He ran from the room, from the house, running blindly in whatever direction would take him farthest from the living proof of his stupidity and the guilt that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

In his desperate need for distance he almost collided with Boris, deaf to the Russian's concerned shout after him he ploughed on. Running. Running past the point of pain - running past the point of exhaustion, running until he was halted by strong hands that held him firmly and slowed his descent to the ground as his knees caved in.

More concerned about the cause of Robbie's extremely unusual behaviour than the unusual behaviour itself, Boris edged towards the house. He listened out for any audible clues for what had transpired but heard nothing as he approached the wide open front door. Looking inside before he entered he could see the top of Robyn's head peeking out from the mass of orange fuzzy fibres. Slowly passing over the threshold he pushed the door to behind him and moved closer to her. She heard his footsteps on the carpet and looked up at him, her eyes haunted by the realisation of what she'd done.

Taking a step closer, Boris crouched down onto his haunches so Robyn could look at him without straining her neck. "Are you ok?"

Robyn looked at him for moment before shaking her head and looking down, her hair framing her face. "No." She burbled miserably.

"What's wrong?"

"What isn't wrong? My epilepsy is back, I'm in pain most of the time, I'm on about twenty million different pills, my new best friend was actually dead when I met her, no matter how hard I try I can't sense her and I completely alienate the person that cares about me more than anything else in the world." Robyn's voice was broken by a sob and the tears that had been threatening to fall began to run down her cheeks. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

Making a move that could tilt the situation one way or another, Boris stood up. Sitting on the arm of the sofa he put his arm around her and pulled her to him as she cried. She made no move to shake him off and he gently increased the pressure of his hold on her, comforting her.

As the rawness of her emotion began to subside, Robyn pulled away slightly but still remained in the comforting circle of Boris' arm, her cheek resting against his chest. "I never knew a hug from a one armed man could be so satisfying."

It was an odd comment and despite the reference to the disability he now suffered, Boris found himself smiling. "I'm happy I could be of service."

With a small smile of her own, Robyn shifted herself slightly on the sofa, causing Boris to withdraw his arm as she did so and looked up at him. "I guess we've established how I am. How are you?"

His arm resting in his lap, Boris shrugged, a gesture that still felt strange on his right side, another reminder of what was gone forever. "I haven't really worked that out yet. It's difficult, especially as I used to be right handed."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I never should have blamed you. I never should have said what I did. I was angry and I took it all out on you. That wasn't fair and you didn't deserve that. I know I can never apologise enough for what I did and I never expect you to forgive me but if you ever need to talk, about anything, you know where I am."

Robyn nodded before Boris heard the front door being pushed open and stood up. He shared a brief look with Sportacus and an acknowledging nod before making his way out.

"Boris," He heard Robyn say as he made to shut the door behind him and stepped back into the house.

"Yes?"

"Thank you." She said with a ghost of a smile.

Boris returned the smile and with a brief, "You're welcome." Shut the door and left Robyn and her Uncle alone.


	4. Chapter 4

It was difficult for her to judge the expression on her uncle's face. The chiselled lines of his features almost blank as his ice blue eyes that were fixed on her as he slowly walked towards the sofa and sat down. He leaned over, resting his elbows on his thighs, either waiting for her to speak or making sure she was ready to listen, she wasn't sure. She watched him carefully, trying to read the subtle twitch of his moustache as he thought. The tight corners of his lips drawn in with his jaw tight set. He was observing her as closely as she observed him, his intense gaze evidently noticing the traces of tears that had stained her cheeks and the absence of any anger.

Withering under Sportacus' gaze, Robyn spoke first. "You're angry aren't you?"

Sportacus narrowed his eyes, a frown forming. "No. No I'm not." His expression softened as he shuffled forward in his seat and reached out, taking both of Robyn's hands in both of his, "This is hard, for all of us."

"Is he ok? Where is he?"

"He's with your grandparents at Bessie and the Mayor's. He's shaken; I think more by what he said to you than you said to him. He'll be home in a little while when he's had some cake and settled down a bit. In the meantime you have the pleasure of my company." He smiled with the last.

Robyn returned the smile briefly, feeling comforted that her uncle wasn't angry at her but still feeling guilty about how she had spoken to Robbie. What he had said to her didn't matter; it didn't come close to what she had said to him. The hurtful words that had just flown from her unbidden. She could never take them back and they would remain with them both, constantly reminding each other of them every time they discussed her condition or thought back to that day.

Sportacus could see the downturn in Robyn's mood and, still holding her hands in his, let go of one to trace the back of his hand down her face, making an effort to smile. "Where did you get up to this morning?"

"Breakfast, meds – that's about it. A little bit out of the usual routine. I guess a lot out of it when I think about it. We never did plan for visits from ex-fiancés or raging arguments."

"What about visits from people I'm weary about letting close to you?"

There was no doubting Sportacus' meaning. As much as Boris had helped get her out of the room that night, her uncle still had his misgivings of how Boris had spoken to her after her admission at the hospital. She knew that in his mind any proximity to Boris when she was alone was a risky idea.

"Yeah that too. He just wanted to see if I was ok, I guess he either saw Robbie run out of here or heard us shouting at each other."

Sportacus couldn't stop the smile that edged its way slowly from the corners of his mouth, "I don't think I've ever seen him run...ever. At least not properly." He looked back for a moment, his initial surprise at seeing Robbie running full pelt from the house compounded with the beeping of his crystal alerting him that Robbie needed his help, knowing that he had to stop him. "I almost couldn't believe it." He mused out loud.

"He just wanted to help. He just wanted to see if he could help me and Kit become friends again and I yelled at him. He just wants to make sure I'm ok and look after me because I'm practically useless-"

"Hey!" Sportacus interrupted, a little more roughly than he'd intended, shaking his head he took hold of Robyn's hand again and made sure he was holding her gaze. "You are not useless. It takes time, you know that. You need to be positive, you can do this. You will get better."

Robyn didn't seem entirely convinced by her uncle's pep talk, "How do you know that?"

Raising an eyebrow, Sportacus jumped up and declared, "Because I'm Sportacus!" flourishing his arms in his signature move and making Robyn laugh for the first time in what seemed like a long time. Smiling as well, Sportacus used his foot to reset the orange chair back into its normal position and held his hand out for Robyn, "Come on, let's go for a walk."

A little reluctantly at first, Robyn held onto her uncle's hand and allowed him to pull her from the chair. Supporting herself as best she could she felt Sportacus wrap his arm around her waist and encourage her to take a step. It was a shaky one but she managed it and another soon followed. She was so focussed on remaining upright that she didn't feel Sportacus start to loosen his hold on her, a little at a time until she was virtually walking unaided albeit around the living room space.

"That's good." Sportacus encouraged when Robyn continued after he'd let her go completely, "You're getting there. You're doing really well!"

"I'm trying. It's not easy but I'm trying."

"You're doing well, just keep it up."

Taking a few more steps, Robyn walked closer to the window and peered outside. The first signs of spring were starting to show after the harsh winter and she longed to feel the fresh air on her face. She'd been cooped up inside for too long, she wanted to feel free again. A hand on her shoulder told her that her silent wish had been heard and she turned around, smiling at her Uncle who gave her a quick up and down glance.

"Shouldn't you get dressed first?"

Robyn blushed slightly and looked down at her pyjamas, "Yeah I guess so."

"Come on, I'll help you upstairs." Sportacus said as he picked Robyn up and started to walk towards the stairs before pausing with a thought, "Will you be able to manage everything else?"

"Yeah I think so."

With Robyn's assent, Sportacus carried her up the stairs and into her bedroom. Leaving her to get ready he shut the door and went back onto the landing, exercising while he was waiting.

On the other side of town, Langford was just leaving Stingy's store, his weekly magazines under his arm. Strolling along he looked forward to having the whole evening and night to himself after his afternoon patrol. Boris had promised to give him the office and he could indulge in spending some time catching up with his favourite subject and unwinding without the stress of the mountain of paperwork on his desk that loomed over him. It had crossed his mind that he should try and get some done but he'd shaken that idea off. For the fourteen hours he had free he wasn't going to be a Network officer, he wasn't going to worry that Olaf was still at large, he wasn't going to think about having the slimy weasel in his sights – almost at arm's length away before he disappeared into the heaving crowds of Crazytown, he wasn't going to concern himself about the recent discovery of another headless body.

"You're thinking too much, Langford. Stop it." He scolded himself, forcing himself to turn his thoughts back to the magazines he had under his arm and the pleasures within.

At least until a large shadow passed over the town.


	5. Chapter 5

Stingy was happy. Very happy indeed. He was making a good profit in his store, especially when it came to his customers from the Network. They were frequent visitors to his shop, purchasing supplies and snacks, large quantities of food to feed all of them. Of course getting more frequent deliveries to restock more often than he'd ever been used to when his customers had consisted mainly of the townsfolk cost him a reasonable amount of money but it didn't dent the money he earned from all the sales.

Especially when the prices he charged on the products the Network officers regularly bought reflected the expense he'd gone to in getting them.

So far many of them hadn't noticed the subtle increases he'd been making in the prices of their favourite goods. A few times they'd quietly questioned their memories, whispering to themselves that they were sure 'this was cheaper two weeks ago'. He always just stood, innocently smiling, his palm itching as he waited for their money to line it. He was sure that one day he would confess and try to make amends by offering them a 'discount' - a word that stuck in his throat and made him choke, or they would discover his ruse and force him to – he couldn't bear to think of that outcome. Until one or other eventuality arose he wasn't going to part with any of his shop's wares for a price that would set him out of pocket.

Absolutely not.

Admittedly his pricing tactics were not new ones. Ever since he had taken over the town's shop at the age of eighteen he had been gently raising the price of Ziggy's beloved sweets and candies. Every so often the fervent sugar muncher would get suspicious that he was being charged more and Stingy would freeze the prices until the suspicion blew over. Once Ziggy had forgotten his quibble with the pricing of his favourite items they would creep up again, a penny at a time.

It was the perfect trick.

When he tried to justify his actions to himself or to the googly eyes of his all-seeing piggy bank he would simply say that in Ziggy's case he was trying to make the lollipop licker cut down on his sugar intake and when it came to the Network there was nothing to justify when he looked at the costs of outsourcing their products.

Especially Langford's.

He wasn't blind to what was within those darkened plastic bags that came every week. At least six of them, sometimes thicker than others when they included the free gift of a DVD that most certainly matched the content of the discreetly packaged magazines. He'd been tempted to open one today and had torn open the plastic bag without thinking, quickly flicking through the pages with eyes and mouth wide open – closing it when a physical reaction to what his eyes were seeing would have made him blind and deaf to anyone coming into the store and he hardly wanted to be 'caught in the act'. When Langford had noticed that one of his magazines was without its usual covering he queried it immediately but Stingy quickly fibbed, telling him that the wrapper had been damaged in delivery and he didn't want to sell a 'valued customer' something in damaged packaging. Eager to pay for his magazines and get out, Langford didn't question the matter further and had left after tucking the offending magazine amongst the others.

It had been a close call but he'd gotten away with it.

Stood staring up at the sky, Langford swore under his breath as the familiar airship circled the town before coming to a stop over a patch of empty ground. There was no mistaking the largeness of the feet on the massive platform edging slowly downward, the tree trunk thick legs attached to them, the broad torso with shoulders that could support a mountain, upon that the two arms as thick as the legs sticking out with hands the size of shovels and upon the top of the gargantuan figure the head that easily outsized a bear's. His lengthy stare was met by the giant and he watched the souring of the happy expression that had been shining from the moon round face until it became one similar to the look upon his. Neither man nor giant moved, sizing each other up until one had made the measure of the other and a booming voice called for his airship's ladder.

Within a split second the giant began descending the ladder to the ground.

Caught up in the awkwardness of trying to do her bra up herself, Robyn missed the shadow that had been cast momentarily over her house, only becoming aware of the unexpected arrival in town when she heard the shout. With a tingle of excitement she caught sight of the airship and the giant man climbing down the ladder through the window. Her excitement faded when she noticed Langford's sour expression and Boris walking towards him.

Turning towards the door in a state of alarm Robyn shouted for her Uncle, the anxiety heightened tone of her voice brought him bursting into the room. He flinched for a moment as he caught sight of his niece in her current state of undress before coming back to reason and making himself look at her.

"I think we're going to have trouble here!" She exclaimed pointing to the window.

It only took a swift look outside for Sportacus to understand what she meant and with no delay he bolted down the stairs.

But it wasn't quick enough to help Boris.

Catching sight of the man he associated with Elias, the giant started charging - his massive strides taking him across the space between him and his target in a matter of seconds. His speed and blinkeredness to everything else around him caused Langford to go hurtling into the air as they collided, the impact doing nothing to slow the giant down as he forced his target to the ground before hauling him up to eye level and holding him by the neck in a crushing grip. In a glimmer of conscious thought amongst the haze of his fury he wondered why the Russian did nothing to defend himself or free himself from his grasp.

Picking himself up from the ground quickly and despite his windedness from his impromptu flight, Langford ordered loudly – "Ché! Put him down!"

Sportacus was quickly on the scene, standing beside Langford as he implored with his lifelong friend, "Ché, calm down! Let him go!"

Obstinately refusing to listen to his friend or obey the order he'd been given, Ché kept hold of his quarry.

"Ché, I'm warning you," Langford began, taking his weapon and extending it to its full length, "Put him down. Don't make me fill out the paperwork for a code three."

"He worked for Elias!" The Spaniard argued, "He might have been in on his plan!"

Preparing to do what he had to if Ché refused to stand down, Langford had one last go at reasoning with him. "He wasn't! SIU cleared him! He's the division head here and if you don't let him go he's going to end up the same colour as Sportacus' uniform!"

Clarity finally drenched Ché's anger and he released Boris, setting him on his feet. It took him a moment to realise that something about Boris' person was missing and he quickly darted guilty eyes to Langford, his finger pointing to the space where Boris' arm should have been. "I didn't do that."

"No, Lily did!" Langford exclaimed, exasperated.

As if not understanding Langford, Ché looked to Sportacus for confirmation. His friend merely nodded before saying, "A lot has happened since you were last here my friend."

"That's a bit of an understatement." Langford snorted before looking at Boris, "Are you alright?"

Boris cast a withering glance in Ché's direction, his hand at his throat, before walking away and leaving Langford's question unanswered. Concerned for his superior he followed, stopping as he was called back by Sportacus.

"I think you dropped your...reading material." The hero explained, trying not to look at the uncovered and open magazine that was amongst those scattered about the ground.

With a quick, nervous chuckle Langford went about gathering up his magazines before heading back in Boris' direction towards the base.


	6. Chapter 6

Robbie shuddered as he looked out of the window and saw Ché grab hold of Boris, instinctively placing his own hand to his neck as the Spaniard strangled the Russian, wondering if the same fate would greet him when all was revealed about his tunnels. He saw the flash of blue run over to the three men, trying to intervene as Langford unsheathed his weapon and made an obvious threat to the giant. After more words were exchanged Ché finally let Boris go, the division leader clutching his neck as he walked away followed closely by his subordinate once he had gathered up the packages he had dropped. There was another flash of blue as the other Sportacus joined them and all three heroes seemed to exchange awkward pleasantries before turning and guiding the giant over to his house. Instantly worried that Ché would start asking questions about his whereabouts, Robbie wondered if he should go home. An equal part of him wished for his old underground lair where he could lock himself away, hiding from the outside world where it was safe and there was no way the giant could get to him.

Unless he could somehow dig himself underground.

He gulped loudly at the mental image of Ché using his hands like the implements they were sized as, burrowing down into his lair and dropping from the ceiling. Landing on him and crushing all of the air out of him, jumping on him over and over again as he shouted obscenities in Spanish. That grotesque image changed to one of Ché trying to squeeze himself into the hatchway and wriggling himself down the tube. Flying out of the bottom when he'd built up enough momentum and knocking him flying into the wall. He imagined being peeled off the wall and shaken back into shape as though he were a cartoon. With the tunnel potentially broken by Ché's bulk there was no way anyone could save him – even Sportacus.

The idea of being below ground was definitely no safer than being on the ground, but what if he was above the ground? Not in an airship but somewhere the giant would never be able to get into.

Without a word to Bessie and the Mayor, who were stood at the window also but watching him now the drama outside had ended – he donned his coat and scurried from the house.

Langford sat down at his desk with a heavy sigh, dropping his magazines down as he sat. His back was sore, his arms were sore – in fact since Ché had sent him flying he couldn't feel a part of his body that wasn't sore. Grimacing at the ugly bruising starting to form around Boris' neck as his friend and superior tried to look busy reading through something on his laptop screen, chin resting in hand, elbow resting on desk; he wondered how he would broach it.

Finally biting the bullet he decided to just come out with it, "Look, I'll take your patrol tonight. You're in no shape to be back on full duty yet and Ché certainly hasn't done you any favours. Go home, Boris."

Boris shifted his eyes from his laptop screen to Langford and back again, "I'm fine."

"The fact that your neck is going almost as black as your uniform tells me otherwise."

"I'm fine." Boris repeated, not taking his eyes from the screen this time.

Langford pushed the point again, knowing this time he would get a reaction. "Bugger off will you? Go home, have a bath and put your feet up. Get a cold compress on that neck while you're at it as well."

Boris slammed his hand down on the desk as he stood up and stormed from the office, his chair crashing into his desk as it turned with the sudden movement. Seething, he marched out of the base and into the cooling air. Walking along the road passed the theatre he headed for the small collection of houses overlooking Stingy's and towards the home generously offered to him by the Mayor on his discharge from hospital. Somewhere quiet he could recuperate and learn to adapt to his disability in privacy away from those that looked up to him.

Unlocking and opening the front door he entered the house, leaning back on the door as he closed it behind him. Though riled by Langford's derision he had to admit that it had had the desired effect and he felt better for being at home. 'Home' it felt so strange to call it that. It felt odd to be living away from the base, away from his men but at the same time there was a certain relief that they wouldn't be able to see him struggle. There was so much he was still finding difficult. So much he was learning to accomplish with only one hand. For the five weeks he had been out of hospital he had spent three off duty, trying to come to terms with life in the outside world. The last two he had spent in a phased return back to his duties which until today had gone reasonably well.

Looking in the mirror hanging on the wall by the door he could see just what Ché had inflicted upon him.

Robyn was sitting on her bed when Sportacus came to fetch her. Suitably dressed she allowed him to support her down the stairs and smiled when she saw Ché kneeling down by the sofa. He opened his arms to her and she reciprocated.

"Senor Ché, it's good to see you again." She greeted as she tried to wrap her arms around his enormous frame, "Be gentle with me." She warned quietly, warding off one of Ché's bone crushing hugs.

Ché did as he was told, carefully hugging her. "Are you ill pequeño Robyn?"

Parting from the hug, Robyn smiled slightly. "I'm getting better."

"It's very quiet around here," Ché suddenly observed, looking around him. "Where's Kit?"

Robyn looked down, "We...we broke up."

Ché's brow fell into deep frown as his brows knitted together, "You broke up? Why? How?"

"It's a long story and to be honest I don't know where to start. I really don't." Robyn shrugged, biting her lip before she continued, "I guess I hammered the final nail in the coffin when I helped Morgan."

"You did what?" Impossibly Ché's frown grew deeper still as he unconsciously clenched his fists.

Sportacus and Nine closely observed Ché while at the same time silently trying to steer Robyn from her present course, already she was sailing in dangerous waters with the tidal wave of Ché's temper set to engulf her. But she continued - feeling duty bound to tell Ché everything about her naive actions and their disastrous repercussions.

"Lily beat him. After he helped me escape from Lily's house he didn't go back to her. He tried to hide but one of her followers found him. They went straight to Lily and he took her to him. Morgan said he only managed to escape because he somehow knocked her out. When Doctor Cole found him he was in a mess. We kept him here, at the Mayor's house, under guard – under heavy guard. He was too weak to do anything, when he was well enough they were going to take him to the Island. I don't know...maybe I thought there had been enough bloodshed...that taking his life would incite Lily...that he'd change if I gave him a chance. But I was wrong. He killed a priest."

"_Santa Maria_!" Ché exclaimed, crossing himself.

Robyn pressed on, "He killed the man that helped him send the priest's head to me in a box as a belated Christmas present. He's killed again too, the Network know but they haven't said anything yet."

"What?!" Sportacus was stunned, "How do you know?"

Shoulders hunched and her head slightly bowed, Robyn replied "Because the man he killed is standing behind me."


	7. Chapter 7

Nine immediately looked to the space behind Robyn but saw nothing there. Sharing a concerned look with his son who had instinctively jumped back at Robyn's statement, his arms outflung as he tried to maintain his balance. Ché stared hard at Robyn but saw no mischief in her downturned eyes, no laughter in her hunched shoulders. This wasn't a game.

What was happening was real.

His eyes flicking from Robyn to a steadied Sportacus, he urged him to do something, do anything. He watched his friend reach back, fingers fumbling to make purchase on the phone. Phone in hand he quickly dialled a number, with his hand shaking he placed it to his ear, waiting for a voice on the other end to speak.

The line clicked as someone answered the call, "_Langford."_

"It's Sportacus. I think you need to come to Robyn's."

There was a pause, the slightest intake of breath. "_Ok, I'll be right there_."

Langford tapped his hand on the desk for the moment as he made a decision. He'd told Boris to go home but something in Sportacus' voice had told him he'd need him. Quickly leaving the office he strode purposefully through the base, ignoring the queries from his men about Boris' rapid departure and whether there was anything they could do. Jogging from the base he followed Boris' path up until the front door that he knocked heavily on. The door was opened quickly, startling him.

"Bloody hell, Boris!" He shouted in his startlement.

"What is it?" Boris asked, still annoyed.

"I got a call from Sportacus, something's going on at Robyn's. He sounded weird. I think we're both going to be needed so I thought I'd come and get you."

With a quick nod, Boris stepped out of the house, locking the door as he closed it and hurrying with Langford to Robyn's house. Approaching from the side of the house they decided to enter through the back door and walked into the kitchen. The instant they entered the house from outside they could feel the stark alteration in atmosphere, a feeling that made the hairs on the back of Boris' neck rise. Moving further into the house they could see Ché's massive frame kneeling down and beyond him Robyn - Sportacus behind her, his eyes instantly falling on them as he registered their presence. They walked closer, passing into the lounge through the kitchen doorway. Coming to a stop behind Ché they looked around, seeing Nine stood slightly behind them and to their left near the corner. The giant turned his head at seeing Sportacus' focus change and acknowledged them with a slight nod.

So far the only person not to have registered their presence was Robyn.

There hadn't been the slightest movement from her since they had first seen her. Her eyes seemed fixed on something in her peripheral vision. Her face was void of expression but her body language showed a huge amount of tension. It barely looked as though she were breathing, only the faintest rise and fall of her chest gave them any indication that she was. From the looks on the faces of both Sportacus' something was going on and neither of them had any idea what it was.

"What's happening?" Boris whispered in Ché's ear, eyes fixed on Robyn.

Ché shrugged heavily, "I think we have a visitor here that only Robyn can see."

"How long has she been like this?"

"A couple of minutes, she hasn't moved at all since before Sportacus called Langford."

Taking a small step back and sharing a glance with Langford, Boris looked back to Robyn. "Robyn? Are you ok?"

At first there was no sign of response from Robyn, she remained in her state of statue like stillness. Ever so slowly her eyes lifted slightly in Langford's direction but she didn't look at him, "You were close. You were very close, almost within arm's reach. He disappeared into the crowd and walked straight into Morgan."

At the mention of Morgan, Langford's eyes opened wide and his head snapped round to look at Boris who had turned his head just as quickly to look at him. To them there was no mistaking who Robyn was talking about.

Robyn continued, "He was dragged away where no one would disturb them. Ironically he wanted to call for you to help him but Morgan stopped him. He tried to get away, he tried to fight but he wasn't strong enough. The last thing he saw was his body being dragged away by Morgan." She lifted her eyes and head slightly and as though looking straight through Ché she focussed on Langford, "You'll find his head on the roof of the building you found Morgan's accomplice in."

A chill ran down Langford's spine with the simultaneous pang of something pulling at the pit of his stomach. Slowly backing away he held Robyn's gaze until she was obscured by the wall and he turned around, walking quickly out of the house the way he had come. Reeling from what he'd heard he signalled on his radio for two men to meet him by his vehicle. His volunteers were with him before he reached it and climbed inside at his silent indication. They'd seen the look on his face and asked him what was wrong but he couldn't tell them.

Not yet.

Boris and Ché could see that Robyn's eyes hadn't shifted from where she had been focussed on Langford, it was as if he was still there. For the briefest moment her eyes seemed to glaze over before closing and she fell forward. Ché reacted quickly, grabbing her and halting her fall as he pulled her against him. Sportacus had sprung forward as Robyn had started falling and carefully lifted her away from Ché, carrying her over to the sofa and laying her on it. He automatically felt for a pulse and found one, she stirred under his touch - grumbling for a moment about the lack of a pillow to put her head on. He smiled despite the warring feelings within him and pulled a cushion from the fluffy chair, placing it under her head before covering her with the blanket - sighing safe in the knowledge that she was alright for the moment.

"She'll be ok." He tried to reassure himself as much as he hoped he was reassuring the others.

Nine nodded, his eyes surveying Robyn before turning on Boris. "I think there's something we need to discuss."

With a look of his own at Robyn, Boris turned and entered the kitchen. Nine followed him, Ché close behind when he managed to manoeuvre himself round and finally Sportacus. Leaning against the counters on the far wall, Boris prepared himself for what could be a verbal onslaught.

_Something piqued Robyn's awareness. Another presence. An additional one to the one that still remained. She opened her eyes as she tried to search for it. Tried to find both of them._

"Someone else was killed and you said nothing." Nine stated, his voice calmer than he felt.

Boris nodded, "Until we could identify him we thought it best to say nothing."

_She sat up slowly, tossing the blanket off before swinging her legs down and placing her feet on the floor. She stood, her eyes still searching the room, her senses reaching out all around her._

"So what are you going to do now?" Sportacus asked, trying to sway his father's line of questioning.

Boris looked at a spot on the wall beyond the others, "Round up his men and bring them here. Work out where to put them. At the moment they're not my biggest concern."

_With slow steps Robyn walked round the coffee table towards the centre of the room, still searching. Still trying to find them. She didn't hear the low creak as the coffee table was slowly lifted from the edge, the portion of floor beneath coming up with it and revealing the gaping darkness of the tunnel below._

"My biggest concern is the fact that Morgan has been out in the open and so publicly made a move. It goes against what we've come to expect from him. To move amongst a crowd of people and be out of hiding after so long, he's changing his tactics."

_She took a step back, still blind to what was happening behind her. She located the second presence too late and she screamed as it grabbed her by the ankles and yanked her into the tunnel._

At the sound of the scream all three heroes whirled round, both Sportacus' and Boris sprinting into the lounge, reaching it just in time to see Robyn being pulled in. Sportacus dived, grabbing her wrists in an effort to pull her back. As hard as he tried to pull her, something was pulling against him, he could feel it pulling him into the tunnel as well as he tried to keep hold of his niece. He felt a large pair of hands wrap themselves around his body acting like an anchor and tethering him to the spot. He could feel his strength failing but he had to hold on.

"Don't let me go! Don't let me go!" Robyn screamed frantically, feeling her uncle's grip weakening.

He couldn't hold onto her much longer, whatever was pulling against him was getting stronger as he grew weaker. His arms burned as he fought against it but his efforts weren't enough, he felt his hands slipping from Robyn's wrists seconds before he felt himself being pulled into the tunnel and watched in horror as she disappeared into the darkness with a petrified scream.


	8. Chapter 8

Lights ran across the length of the car as Langford drove through the tunnel, stretching over the shiny surface in a backwards journey from the direction he was going. He ignored the continued attempts of the two men with him to ask him what was happening, where they were going, what had made him look so worried. Still caught up in the process of trying to understand for himself what had transpired he couldn't begin to vocalise it in a way that they would understand.

He remembered with acute accuracy the tone of Robyn's voice as she'd spoken, the blankness in the eyes that normally shone brightly. Her shoulders hunched and head bowed, the angle of her neck. The way her eyes moved to him, the way she looked at him as though looking through him.

As if remembering the sensation of the hairs at the back of his neck rising, he absently rubbed it as his skin replicated the prickling sensation he'd not felt since his youth. At the back of his mind he wondered whether Morgan would be waiting for them, skulking in a dark corner, watching them. He could still remember the layout of the building, the dark twists and turns typical of what he'd come to understand as the architecture present in that part of town. A form of design that provided many a hiding place for those not wishing to be found.

A place that three people couldn't possibly scour on their own.

Aware that the area they were entering into was one of those particularly volatile when going in uniform, Langford pulled the car into a quiet side street away from the bulk of the crowds walking the streets. Shutting off the engine he rubbed his eyes as he rested his head on the headrest and let out a long breath, adding to the growing confusion of his companions. He still didn't know if he could make coherent sense of what was racing through his mind but he owed his men the attempt he made to verbalise it.

"I got information about Olaf's whereabouts….from Olaf or at least, not Olaf exactly, but Robyn."

"Sorry sir, can you repeat that? I don't know if Salonen understood but I certainly know I didn't."

Turning in his seat, Langford looked at his addresser, then to Salonen who was sitting beside him in the passenger seat and back to the other man. "That's pretty much the top and tail of it, Peters."

"So Olaf told Robyn where he is and she told you?" Salonen had a try at grasping it, "But why would he tell her where he is? Surely she's the last person he'd want to communicate with?"

"Not unless she was the only person he could communicate with." Langford added.

Peters drew his head back in confusion, "What do you mean? How could she be the only one he can communicate with?"

Attempting to rub away the headache he felt threatening, Langford ran his hand over his head. "Because he's dead."

Without thinking what might be within the darkness beyond him, Sportacus threw himself down the tunnel with a rapid crawl, following his niece's terrified screams. His crystal was eerily silent as he journeyed into the unknown, fumbling blindly. His hands slapped at the cold metal floor and his boots squeaked in a desperate rhythm as he propelled himself along, trying to keep up with whatever force was dragging his niece away. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest and his breath catching in his throat as pure adrenaline threatened to take hold of him completely. Without stopping his unrelenting passage he forced himself to measure his breathing, fighting down the panic rising within him.

He only stopped when Robyn's screaming stopped too.

Boris ran out of the house as quickly as he could, shouting orders to his men – rallying them into action as Robyn's screams echoed from the tunnels. Nine was close behind him, his countenance stricken with barely concealed fear and concern, running in the direction he thought the screams were going, trying to focus his mind and concentrate. Trying to make sense of what was happening and keeping himself together for the sake of his granddaughter - trying to block out his feelings at the sounds of her screams.

Until they fell silent.

"R-Robyn?" Sportacus reached out with his voice, its echo taunting him with the weakness with which he had said it.

Silence.

He waited, pushing his hearing to the maximum and trying to cancel out the sound of the blood roaring in his ears, the thudding of his heart in his chest and his ragged breathing in an attempt to pick up even the tiniest sound – the tiniest sign that she wasn't...

No. He couldn't let himself think like that. He couldn't let himself feel like that. He would find her and she would be ok.

In the deathly silence he could hear sounds from the world above him, murmurs of voices, the treading of feet. Craning his neck he tried to listen to the sounds, trying to keep hold of them as he fought to quiet all sounds within. In his focus on the sounds from the world above there was a sound that reached him that seemed odd.

Scratching. Whimpers.

Amidst the chaotic sounds above it was the one consistent sound that never seemed to move or change. It sounded as though it was coming from a way ahead of him, in the direction he thought he'd been heading in the oppressive blackness. With slow movements he started to move forward again, keeping an ear on the sound as he listened for any from the depth he was in. In his journey forward a new sound reached his ears, muffled yet certainly emanating from the way ahead. With his self control sorely tested he drew slowly closer to the sound, the closer he came the clearer it was and the more it filled him with hope he couldn't contain.

Sobbing

Everyone stopped moving as soon as everything fell silent, the only sounds in the wake of the screaming their ragged breaths. Ché looked all around him at the scattered Network men stood as statues, his lifelong friend fighting to keep a grip on rising emotions and the townsfolk that had heard the screams and come out of their homes to investigate trembling. He caught the eye of Boris and held it for a moment, silently questioning him on his next move. He got his answer when the division leader moved from the spot he had been fixed upon and started to trace the direction the screams had been heading in before they'd fallen silent.

Carefully following the direction he was sure the screams had been going, Boris listened out for any audible traces of sound. Scanning with the maximum level of concentration he could hear soft snuffles that accompanied short whimpers and the sound of scratching. Moving in the direction of the sound he saw Skip scratching at a patch of ground, the small terrier digging in desperate vexation. Rapidly picking up his pace he ran over to the dog and crouched on the floor, awkwardly supporting himself on his one arm as he placed his ear to the ground where Skip had been digging, the terrier's whimpers turning to excited whines and barks when Boris had approached.

Detecting the sound of sobbing, Boris pushed himself up and shouted - "Ché! We're going to need you!"

With all of the speed he had charged at Boris with, Ché ran forward, his strides taking him across the distance between he and Boris in little time. Coming to a stop at the spot the Russian stood he knelt down and scrabbled at the patch of ground Skip had been so intent on, his fingers feeling the edge of a metal door. Revealing more of it he discovered a double doored trap door, the centre welded shut. He gave a sharp, confused look upwards at Boris before looking back down at the trap door. His questions would be answered later but for now he had to help Robyn.

With his two great hands he cracked the line of welded metal holding the trap door shut.

He'd almost reached the source of the sobbing, his hands reaching out in the darkness he searched for her - trying to touch her when a sudden explosion of sound followed by another flooded the darkness with light that made him close his eyes and guard against it with his hand. Voices as clear as the light that shone through the tunnel forced him to open his eyes and he made out the outline of his niece being pulled through the opening. He threw himself forward and as he reached the opening he felt a pair of massive hands grab his shoulders and pull him out.

Once set on the ground he saw Robyn clinging to Boris with wrenching sobs, her body shaking violently.


	9. Chapter 9

Doctor Malone remained silent as he carefully examined Robyn, her body still trembling in the after shock of what had happened to her. He carefully daubed the grazes that marred her forearms with antiseptic ointment - grazes inflicted on her by the grit and gravel on the floor of the tunnel as she'd been pulled through it. Keeping a close eye on her facial expression for any signs of pain or discomfort he turned his attention to her ankles as he lowered himself onto his haunches. Dark welts had formed where whoever had grabbed her and held her as they'd dragged her down the tunnel. There was something that disturbed him in their configuration as he studied them and he knew that he would have to inform those waiting outside the room of his findings. He would update them as soon as he'd reassured himself that for the moment Robyn was ok, his main concern for her being that she'd barely made a movement in the time he'd been examining her ankles or cleaning her grazes.

He looked up as he remained on his haunches, looking at her and seeing her eyes, large and haunted in her pale face looking down at him. He smiled gently and gave a sympathetic nod when he received no response. Feeling cramp threatening in his legs and his feet complaining he stretched his legs out as he knelt down, not willing to tower over Robyn as she sat on the bed when he spoke to her.

"How are you feeling?" He queried gently.

Robyn's eyes shifted from side to side, biting her lip as she tried to find a way to describe what she was feeling. After a while she half whispered "Fine."

"Fine?" Doctor Malone folded his arms slowly and leaned back a little, "Fine? Is that an honest answer Robyn?"

A faint nod.

"Perhaps I could offer my opinion of how I think you're feeling, please feel free to correct me any time you think I'm wrong. You were very traumatised by what happened earlier and I think you're still in shock - you definitely don't appear to be 'fine'. You're still frightened by what happened and I know your ankles are hurting you. Can I offer you any pain relief?"

Robyn's eyes dropped as she shook her head.

"Ok Robyn, if you change your mind and feel you need anything then please get Trixie to call me. She's more than happy to have you staying with her as long as you need to and I'm sure that right now, home is the last place you want to go to. Are you sure there's nothing else I can do for you?"

No response.

Accepting, but not liking, Robyn's silence, Doctor Malone took his cue to leave. Carefully packing away his things in his medical bag he stood up and left the room. Passing through the short hallway he came to the lounge and the small group of people assembled there on the two sofas, waiting for his bag down near the front door he told them what they were waiting to know.

Stingy forced a smile as Ziggy ambled into the shop, the blonde looking visibly shaken by something. There was none of the candy guzzler's usual dithering over the sweet item he wanted most as he grabbed Stingy's largest bar of chocolate and slammed it down on the counter. He looked up at Stingy and noticed the skinflint's calm yet somewhat bemused expression.

"You didn't hear?" He asked.

"Hear what?" Stingy replied impatiently before screwing his face up, "You haven't farted again have you Ziggy?"

Ziggy, taken aback, shook his head violently. "No!" He shouted in protest, "You didn't hear Robyn screaming?"

Stingy shrugged, "I thought I might have heard something but I didn't know what it was. I didn't think it was anything important. Besides, I was almost finished with my weekly stock check and counting my money."

"And you don't even care?" Ziggy's voice rose in pitch as much as it did in volume at Stingy's coolness, "You haven't even asked what was wrong! I can't believe you! All you care about is this stupid shop and...and money! You're worse than Eb-eb-ebeneezer Scrooge!"

"Are you going to buy that chocolate or are you just going to stand there shouting?" Stingy countered, arms folded.

Pushed beyond audacity by his childhood friend, Ziggy roared with frustration and stormed towards the door, leaving the chocolate on the counter and only turning back to shout, "One day someone will teach you a lesson! I really hope it's me! You're a horrible person Stingy!"

With that, Ziggy was gone and after a brief duration of watching the door and waiting for him to come back for his abandoned chocolate, Stingy shrugged and went back to his beloved piggy, pulling out the stopper underneath and counting the treasures within.

Observing the nervousness of those around him, Doctor Malone thought it would be best to cut to the chase and looked at both Sportacus' and Boris. "I think there's something you might want to see."

Quickly getting up from where they were sitting, the three men followed the Doctor back through to the bedroom where Robyn was huddled tightly in a blanket and leaning against the wall, her knees against her chest and her arms hugging them. She didn't look up at them as they came slowly into the room, her eyes remained downcast as her head rested on her knees.

Taking steps towards Robyn, Doctor Malone gently gained her attention and placed his hand on the blanket she'd covered herself with. "Can I? Please?"

Knowing the Doctor's intention from his request, Robyn gave a vague nod. Being very careful not to hurt her, he pulled the blanket away from her feet - revealing her ankles. He held it up long enough for the men with him to see the contusions standing stark against her pale flesh before replacing it and leading the men back out of the room.

Answering Nine's questioning expression and deepening it with his response, Doctor Malone explained, "Those bruises were made by more than one pair of hands."

"What? How is that possible? There couldn't have been more than one person down there, there's no way. I didn't even see one person let alone two and the way she was pulled away….nothing human could have done that." Sportacus stated, remembering the image of his niece being pulled from him, her screams as she disappeared into the darkness.

"Or alive." Boris breathed.

All eyes snapped round onto Boris. His statement hanging in the air. No one wanted to consider the implications that accompanied it or acknowledge what it meant.

"That's not all that disturbs me," Boris added, as if thinking aloud, "The place we pulled Robyn from, it was the exact spot that Elias was killed."

Robyn whimpered quietly as she felt the hand brush her shoulder again, it's movement tickling the hair by her ear. Quivering under the sensation she heard the voice whisper, "Good girl."


End file.
